A publicist for the acclaimed writer told CNN that she passed away in her North Carolina home.

Angelou perhaps most famously wrote “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” but she also penned a number of other autobiographical works and books of poetry.

A self-made woman, the author became a voice of her generation, once stating (via CNN), “I created myself. I have taught myself so much.”

She also had a role in the iconic mini-series “Roots” in the late 1970s, and she had a deep passion for singing and performing, earning one of two Tony Award nominations for her role in “Look Away” on Broadway.

In a poem Angelou wrote honoring the late Nelson Mandela last year, she said, “No sun outlasts its sunset, but will rise again and bring the dawn.”